Master of Arts in

Language Teaching

Program Handbook

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T ABL E O F C ONT ENT S

1. Welcome ..................................................................................................................... 1 Mission Statement ...................................................................................................... 2 Graduate Student Profile ............................................................................................ 2

2. Description of the Program ........................................................................................... 2 Master of Arts in Language Teaching .......................................................................... 2 Areas of Concentration ............................................................................................... 2

French .............................................................................................................. 2 German ............................................................................................................ 3 Spanish ............................................................................................................. 3 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages........................................... 3

Graduate Minors in French, German and Spanish ...................................................... 3 Graduate Minor in the English Department ............................................................... 3 TESOL Certificate Program .......................................................................................... 3 Study Abroad Programs .............................................................................................. 4

3. Applying to the MALT Program ...................................................................................... 4 Admission Status ......................................................................................................... 4

Unconditional Admission ................................................................................. 4 Provisional Admission ...................................................................................... 5 Unclassified Admission (Non-Degree) .............................................................. 5

Graduate Course load ................................................................................................. 5 Plan of Study ............................................................................................................... 5

4. Graduate Coursework ................................................................................................... 5 Required Coursework for All Students ........................................................................ 6 Seminars ...................................................................................................................... 6 Transfer Credits ........................................................................................................... 6 Independent Studies ................................................................................................... 7

5. Advising ........................................................................................................................ 7 6. Grades .......................................................................................................................... 7

Grade Point Average ................................................................................................... 7 Grades of Incomplete .................................................................................................. 7 Grade Appeals ............................................................................................................. 7

7. Comprehensive Exams (Comps) ..................................................................................... 8 Exam Structure ............................................................................................................ 8 Planning and Preparing for the Exam ......................................................................... 8

Signing up for Comps ....................................................................................... 8 Seeking Advice ................................................................................................. 8

Exam Logistics ............................................................................................................. 9 Exam Grading .............................................................................................................. 9

8. Networking Opportunities............................................................................................. 9 Annual Colloquium on Language Teaching ................................................................. 9 Conferences ................................................................................................................ 9 Listserv ........................................................................................................................ 10

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9. Scholarships and Awards ............................................................................................. 10 Helen Hanson Outstanding Graduate Student Award ................................................ 10 Presidential Graduate Fellowship: Master’s Students ................................................ 10 Phi Delta Gamma ........................................................................................................ 11 Summer Graduate Scholarship ................................................................................... 12 Regents Tuition Waivers ............................................................................................. 12 Funding for Graduate Student Research & Travel Support ........................................ 13

10. MALT Program Contacts .............................................................................................. 13 Graduate Program Chair ............................................................................................. 13 Department of Foreign Languages and Literature Chair ............................................ 13 Department Staff Assistant ......................................................................................... 13

11. Resources ................................................................................................................... 14 Writing Center ............................................................................................................. 14 Speech Center ............................................................................................................. 14 Criss Library ................................................................................................................. 14 Office of Graduate Studies .......................................................................................... 14 Counseling Center ....................................................................................................... 14 Career Coach ............................................................................................................... 14 Career Center .............................................................................................................. 15

Appendix A: Graduate Program Forms ................................................................................... 16 Appendix B: Graduate Faculty Research Areas........................................................................ 18 Appendix C: Professional Organizations, Conferences & Resources ......................................... 19

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W E LC O M E

On behalf of the Graduate Program Committee, we are pleased that you have chosen to pursue a Master’s degree with UNO’s Master of Arts in Language Teaching (MALT) Program.

The MALT program at UNO allows students to choose from four different areas of concentration: French, German, Spanish and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The Department of Foreign Languages and Literature also offers graduate minors of 9 hours in French, German and Spanish for students enrolled in the MALT program as well as Master’s degree programs from other departments across the University. Non-degree students may also enroll in our courses as long as they have the linguistic competency to succeed in graduate-level language courses. The MALT degree must be completed within ten consecutive calendar years. Coursework older than 10 years (30 consecutive terms) cannot be applied to a Master's degree at UNO.

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literature reviews applications on a rolling basis, but has an application deadline of April 15th for the summer and fall semesters and November 15th for the spring semester. Note that the closer to the semester in which you apply, the less likely you are to get into the classes that you desire.

Once accepted to the program, you are responsible for knowing the content of this handbook. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Dr. Claudia Garcia, Graduate Program Chair Department of Foreign Languages and Literature 402.554.4837 | csgarcia@unomaha.edu

This handbook was written and produced by Melanie Bloom, Tracy Bridgeford, Jennifer Formo and Hillary Addison.

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Mission Statement The Master of Arts in Language Teaching program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is the only graduate program in the region that provides practicing and future teachers of French, German, Spanish and English as a second or other language with a rigorous, practically oriented education founded on scholarship specifically in the pedagogy of language teaching. Students expand not only their familiarity with the latest research on applied linguistics and effective instructional techniques but also with the literature and culture of their language of concentration. The program strives to strengthen language education in the region by equipping its students with the knowledge and skills to apply best pedagogical practices in world language and TESOL classrooms and by connecting area teachers via its Annual Colloquium on Language Teaching.

Graduate Student Profi le The graduate student body includes area teachers seeking further expertise and accreditation in their area of specialization, professionals that are interested in a career change, and pre-service teachers wishing to teach at the post-secondary level, as well as future PhDs who will go on to national doctoral programs after graduation. Graduates from the Master of Arts in Language Teaching program are currently working in all levels of instruction in the public school system, serving as educational administrators at the district level, teaching at community colleges and four-year, post-secondary institutions, and studying in doctoral programs across the United States. The interdisciplinary nature of the MALT program prepares students well for a wide range of career goals in the field of language education.

D E S CRI PT I O N O F T H E P RO GR A M

Master of Arts in Language Teaching (MALT) The Master of Arts in Language Teaching program is an interdisciplinary program that allows students to take courses in a wide range subjects from literature, culture and linguistics in the target language to second language acquisition theory and teaching methodology.

Areas of Concentration The MALT program offers concentrations in French, German, Spanish and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Half of the students’ degree program (18 credit hours) will be completed in the language of concentration allowing them to improve their proficiency in the target language as well as keep abreast of the latest trends in language learning and teaching.

French

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literature offers graduate courses in French in a wide array of disciplines such as composition, linguistics, literature, culture and film studies. Students concentrating in French benefit from improving their linguistic and cultural competence as well as from forming close working relationships with French faculty. In addition, students have the opportunity to study abroad in Quebec City, Canada or Besançon, France during the summer in programs designed specifically for teachers of French.

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German

Students in the German concentration benefit from small class sizes and close interaction with faculty as well as from a rigorous curriculum including courses on composition, culture, film, and various topics in German literature. Stammtisch, a conversation table, is offered on a weekly basis throughout the academic year, as well as a Study Abroad program in Germany.

Spanish

The concentration in Spanish offers students a wide variety of courses including courses in structural linguistics, sociolinguistics, literature, culture and film studies. Students in the Spanish concentration can also benefit from numerous study abroad programs geared specifically to teachers of Spanish.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Students concentrating in TESOL will work primarily with faculty in the Department of English to complete their concentration. The Department of English offers diverse courses from seminars in literature and composition to classes on linguistics, sociolinguistics and composition pedagogy. Students in the TESOL concentration will also complete a pedagogical field experience course in which they will achieve hands-on experience observing and teaching ESL classes.

Graduate Minors in French, German and Spanish Students in the MALT program may opt to complete a graduate minor in a language outside of their language of concentration. The Department of Foreign Languages and Literature offers minors in French, German or Spanish. In order to add a graduate minor, the student must submit an oral and written sample in the target language to the MALT Graduate Program Committee for consideration. Only those students deemed proficient enough in the language to succeed in graduate coursework will be allowed to add a minor. Successful completion (with a B average) of nine hours of graduate coursework in French, German or Spanish is sufficient to earn the minor. There are no required courses for the minor. Minors will appear on student transcripts.

Graduate Minor in Engl ish With the permission of the MALT Graduate Program Chair, students are free to take courses outside of the MALT curriculum. Students currently enrolled in the MALT program are eligible to pursue a graduate minor in English, after securing permission from the Graduate Program Chair in English. Successful completion (with a B average) of nine hours of graduate coursework in English is sufficient to earn the minor, without any additional requirements or stipulations imposed by the program in English. Minors will appear on student transcripts.

TESOL Certif icate Program The Department of English offers students the opportunity to obtain a Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Completion of these requirements does not certify a graduate to teach in Nebraska public schools. Instead, it is an academic credential meant for teachers who are already certified in other areas, for people who plan to teach in venues other than public schools, and for anyone who works in some capacity with non-native speakers of

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English. For more information on this program, see the Department of English’s website on Graduate Certificates (http://www.unomaha.edu/english/cert.php).

MALT students who are interested in simultaneously pursuing a TESOL Certificate are required to submit a separate application for admission to that program. If the student has already been admitted to the MALT, however, neither additional transcripts nor an application fee is required.

Note that completion of the MALT program does not certify you to teach in the Nebraska public school system. If you are interested in pursuing teacher certification along with your MALT degree, please contact Dr. Germaine “Gerry” Huber, Coordinator of Academic Advising at the College of Education at 402.554.3890.

Study Abroad Programs Students pursuing a concentration in French, German or Spanish are encouraged to study abroad for at least six credits of their graduate degree program. Information on Study Abroad programs can be found at the following website: http://world.unomaha.edu/index.php?page=studyabroad.

A P PL YI NG T O T HE MA LT GR AD U AT E PR OGR A M

To be admitted to graduate study in the MALT program, students should have completed a Bachelor’s degree with an average grade of "B" (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or above. If an applicant’s major was in the language of concentration, only the GPA for language courses is calculated. In addition to the GPA, international applicants must score at least 250 on the computer-based TOEFL, or 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL in order to be eligible for unconditional admission.

To apply, go to http://www.unomaha.edu/graduate/prospective/applyforadmission.php and complete an application. There is a one-time application fee of $45. You will need to request one official transcript from all institutions you attended previously (except UNO) to be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies. Two letters of recommendation are also required. Recommenders may be former professors, principals, colleagues, or any other professional who can speak to your preparedness for graduate study. Be prepared to attach both your written and oral language samples to the online application. Please note that the Office of Graduate Studies will not forward any application to the MALT Graduate Program Committee until all documents, including letters of recommendation, are submitted online.

International students must complete an International Graduate Application and submit all supporting documentation to the Office of International Studies and Programs.

All applicants are required to have completed an Introduction to Linguistics course at the undergraduate level to be admitted to the MALT program under the Unconditional category status. Applicants who lack this requirement but fulfill all others, may be admitted under the Provisional category (see Admission Status below).

Admission Status

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There are three categories for which a student may be admitted to the MALT Program: Unconditional, Conditional, and Unclassified (Non-Degree).

• Unconditional admission status may be granted to students who are considered fully qualified to undertake a program toward a Master’s degree.

• Provisional admission status may be granted to students lacking one or more requirements, for example, an introduction to linguistics course, or with a lower GPA or TOEFL score. If your admission is provisional, you may be required to fulfill certain requirements before registering for specific graduate classes. Provisional requirements could include one or more of the following conditions: additional undergraduate work (an introduction to linguistics course), 3.0 GPA in your first 9 credits of graduate work, and/or meeting with the Graduate Program Chair to review your work.

• Unclassified admission or Non-Degree status is typically reserved for non-degree students taking graduate coursework for professional growth (e.g., certification renewal), for personal growth or interest, or readmission circumstances.

Applications are evaluated by the Graduate Program Chair (GPC) and the MALT graduate program committee members with an expertise in the applicant’s language of concentration. They review all previous transcripts, language samples and letters of recommendation. From this evaluation, the admissions committee determines the applicant’s admission status.

Graduate Course Load To be designated as full-time, graduate students must be enrolled for at least 9 credit hours during an academic semester. To be eligible to receive financial assistance, graduate students must be enrolled for at least 4 credit hours per semester (contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information: http://financialaid.unomaha.edu/). Students enrolling for more than 12 hours must have approval from the MALT Graduate Program Chair and Dean for Graduate Studies.

Plan of Study At the time of admission to a degree program, an individual plan of study will be sent to the student with his/her official letter of admission from the Dean for Graduate Studies. This individual plan of study will list all requirements for the completion of the degree program. These requirements may include deficiency courses and other provisions of admission, specific courses to be completed to graduate, and comprehensive examinations.

Plan of Study:

To earn the MALT degree students must successfully complete 36 credit hours in coursework, including at least 18 hours of seminar-level courses, plus a written comprehensive examination and oral defense over a designated body of knowledge prepared and judged by faculty members.

With approval from the MALT Graduate Program Chair, students may include a minor or coursework from a related discipline or disciplines as part of their Plan of Study.

Q U I C K V I E W

36 credits total

• 18 hours must be seminar-level

• Comprehensive exams

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Any changes to the Plan of Study identified in your admission letter must be approved by the MALT Graduate Program Chair and the Dean for Graduate Studies by completing the Change in Plan of Study form. Upon approval, the student and department/school will be notified of this change.

You can find the necessary form on the Graduate Studies website.

Change in Plan of Study

http://www.unomaha.edu/graduate/downloads/CHANGE%20IN%20PLAN%20OF%20STUDY.pdf

G RA DU AT E C O UR S E WO R K

Required Coursework for Al l Students FLNG 8020 Seminar: FL/TESOL Research

This course is designed to give graduate students an opportunity to explore contemporary second language acquisition research methodologies in the second language classroom setting.

FLNG 8030 Seminar: Second Language Acquisition Theory

This course provides graduate students with a basic overview of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory and its subfields. It covers the major areas of inquiry in SLA theory including: learner language, external factors, internal factors, individual differences, and classroom language acquisition.

FLNG 8040 Seminar: Assessment and Materials Design

This course will familiarize current and future language educators with current trends in the assessment of language skills as well as expose them to the design, implementation, and evaluation of second language curricula.

FLNG 8960 Seminar: Special Topics

This course provides a format for the exploration of topics of interest to advanced foreign language/TESOL students. The topics for this seminar are varied dependent upon the instructor and the needs of the graduate student body. Past seminars include such topics as teaching culture and assessment.

TED Culture-based requirement (TED 8130/ TED 8180/ TED 9200) and TED pedagogy-based requirement (TED 8006/ TED 8300/ TED 8540)

These courses are designed to develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions required of teachers of ESL or Foreign Languages. Students will learn how to teach culturally sensitive and relevant classes while applying the latest teaching methodologies in their area of concentration.

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Seminars At least half the courses taken by graduate students must be seminar courses. Seminars end in a zero and dual-level courses end in a six. Some seminars vary in emphasis and may be repeated for credit, such as FLNG 8960.

Transfer Credits Up to one-third of the coursework (12 credits) required for the Master’s degree may be accepted from an accredited institution if those courses were not applied to a degree previously awarded and have been taken within the last ten years. Requests for transfer credits are determined by the Graduate Program Chair and the Dean for Graduate Studies. All transfer credit must have a grade of B (3.0) or higher.

Independent Studies Occasionally, students may want to study a topic not offered in the regular curriculum. For these circumstances, the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature offers independent study credit, which is counted as seminar credit. This option should be considered only for special circumstances. It requires an independent study contract (see Appendix A) that outlines the readings, assignments, and deadlines agreed to by the student and faculty member.

Note that faculty members who agree to participate in an independent study are not compensated for their time and effort. Please be considerate when asking faculty to participate.

A D VI S I NG

Upon acceptance, graduate students are required to meet with the Graduate Program Chair (GPC) for an initial meeting about program expectations. An “Advising Hold” will be placed on your Mavlink account that can only be removed by the GPC. This hold will be removed after meeting with the GPC.

An “Advising Hold” will also be placed on your account every semester to be removed by your advisor, the MALT GPC. During class registration time, your advisor will provide guidance and remove your hold. For advising consistency and continuity, you should make every effort to meet with your advisor well before registration.

G RA DE S

Grade Point Average If you have been admitted to UNO for graduate study in the MALT program, we expect more and better academic work from you than is required for an undergraduate degree. You must maintain an overall GPA of B (3.0) or higher in all graduate coursework taken as a part of your degree program. Students who receive a C during the first nine hours of graduate study will be placed on academic probation. A subsequent grade of B- or below may result in dismissal from the program.

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Grades of Incomplete You may request an incomplete grade (“I”) in a course. To be eligible, you need to have completed the major requirements of the course and to have serious, unavoidable circumstances that prevent you from finishing the remaining requirements. Instructor approval is also required. That a course requires more work than you expected is an example of an unacceptable excuse.

Grade Appeals Grade appeal procedures are generally established by each academic unit or department. As the MALT program is interdisciplinary in nature, any grade appeal will need to be treated according to the policy of the academic department in which the appeal is filed. To review the Grade Appeal Policy for courses offered by the Department of Foreign Languages see http://www.unomaha.edu/foreignlanguages/administration.php. The MALT GPC can assist graduate students wishing to file a grade appeal in another academic department, but will not have a say in the outcome of the appeal process.

Petitioning for Reinstatement Policy

Students who have been dismissed from the MALT program due to poor academic performance (as defined in the Grade Point Average section above) or other academic dismissible action may submit a written petition for reinstatement to the program’s Graduate Program Chair (GPC), explaining why they believe they should be reinstated. The GPC and the MALT Committee will evaluate it and determine if the student is eligible to be reinstated.

As part of the reinstatement petitioning process, the GPC and the MALT Committee will examine the student’s reasons for being readmitted as well as his or her academic record. Moreover, MALT instructors in whose classes the student was enrolled may be contacted in order to create a better profile of the student as a graduate student in the MALT program. Any information provided by previous instructors will not be shared with the student.

Reinstatement is a privilege and not all students who are dismissed will be reinstated. Students who have petitioned for reinstatement may not enroll in any courses in the MALT program for graduate credit while the petition is under review.

Students who have been reinstated will serve a probationary period during which they will meet probationary conditions specified by the GPC and the MALT Committee. Based upon the student’s performance during the probationary period, they may be subject to additional reinstatement conditions as specified by the GPC and the MALT Committee. Students not achieving the probationary or reinstatement conditions will be automatically dismissed.

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C O M PR EH EN S I VE E XAM S (C O M P S)

Exam Structure

Students must select a comprehensive exam committee and complete and file a Comprehensive Exam Committee Form (see Appendix A) with the MALT GPC prior to enrollment in the final semester of the graduate program. The graduate committee must contain at least three faculty members, two of which must be from the MALT Graduate Program Committee (see Appendix B for a list of faculty working in the MALT program. Those with asterisks after their name are members of the MALT comittee). Examination committee members must each represent one of the following specialty areas:

LANGUAGE AREA: Literature, linguistics, culture

PEDAGOGY AREA: Methods, assessment, instructional technology, practical applications

RESEARCH AREA: SLA theory, SLA research, classroom-based research.

These three topic areas represent the three significant fields of study that comprise the MALT degree program. Thus, students will receive one exam question per topic area. For students in the French, German and Spanish concentrations, the Language Area question must be answered in the target language. The other two questions may be answered in English.

You must complete an Application for Degree during the semester you plan to graduate. Application deadlines will vary according to the academic calendar. To view the current academic calendar see http://registrar.unomaha.edu/calendar/.

Planning and Preparing for the Exam

Signing up for Comps

To take the comprehensive exams, you must fill out and file a Comprehensive Exam Committee form (see Appendix A) prior to enrolling in courses for the semester in which you intend to take the exam. The Comprehensive Exam Committee form is available from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature staff assistant and the GPC.

Seeking Advice

Once you have selected a comprehensive exam committee (See Appendix B for a list of faculty teaching and research areas.), you should arrange to meet with each faculty member and ask what expectations he/she has and what advice he/she can give for successful preparation and performance on the exam. Faculty members may choose to provide you with a reading list to help you prepare for their question, but are not required to do so. You should plan to spend a significant amount of time on exam preparation equal to about the time you would spend on one graduate class.

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Exam Logistics Everyone takes the written portion of the exam at the same time. In the fall semester the exam is given the first weekend in November and in the spring semester it is administered the first weekend in March. Students will receive their exam questions from their exam committee chair on 9:00am on the first Friday of the month (either November or March). Students are allowed to take their questions home to complete the exam over the weekend. The completed exam is due back to the exam committee chair on 9:00am the following Monday morning. The exam must be type-written, double-spaced, and in 12pt font. Students who fail to turn in the exam on Monday at 9:00am (or earlier) will automatically fail the comprehensive exam and must re-take the entire exam during a subsequent semester.

The oral defense of the exam is an hour-long meeting typically scheduled approximately two weeks following the written exam. The chair of the comprehensive exam committee is responsible for scheduling the oral defense meeting, so meeting times and locations will vary according to students’ and committee members’ schedules.

Exam Grading The written exam is usually made up of three essay questions, one from each participating committee member. Grades for each section are assigned at the end of the student’s oral defense. Assignable grades are Pass, High Pass (for extraordinary performance), and Fail. If a student fails one to three sections of the exam, the student must arrange to re-take the section of the exam he/she failed in a future semester. The committee member(s) will give an alternative question on the same subject matter. If a student fails one to three sections of the exam on the second attempt, additional coursework must be completed prior to attempting the exam a third time. Only upon completion of this coursework will the student be allowed to retake the exam. Students who do not successfully pass their exams on a third attempt will be dismissed from the program.

N ET W OR KI NG O P PO RT UNI T I E S

Annual Colloquium on Language Teaching The Annual Colloquium on Language Teaching is a free, half-day conference sponsored by the MALT program. The Colloquium is held annually during the spring semester on the UNO campus. Graduate students in the MALT program are encouraged to participate by both submitting conference proposals and attending the Colloquium. This is an excellent opportunity for graduate students to gain conference presentation experience in a small, friendly venue and to meet other area language teaching professionals.

Conferences The MALT program encourages students to attend and/or participate in a variety of conferences related to their area of interest. This is a great way to get involved in the language teaching community and network for opportunities within the field. Please see Appendix C for a list of area, regional, and national conferences related to language teaching. There is also travel funding

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available through Graduate Studies for those students who are presenting at conferences (see the following section on Scholarships and Awards for more information).

Listserv Upon acceptance, you are encouraged to join the graduate student listserv. The listserv communicates news and events that affect MALT graduate students, such as notifying students of job opportunities, social events, conferences, and especially deadlines for scholarships, awards, and other honors. This list is moderated by Dr. Carolyn Gascoigne. You can sign up for this listserv at: https://lists.unomaha.edu/mailman/listinfo/malt.

S C H O LAR S H I P S A ND A W AR D S

MALT graduate students are eligible for various scholarships and awards. In some cases, students are nominated by the graduate faculty for competitive awards. In other cases, students are invited to apply for awards. MALT graduate students have been awarded more than one of these awards.

A list of graduate student awards with links to appropriate application forms is available on the following website: http://www.unomaha.edu/graduate/scholarships.php.

Helen Hanson Outstanding Graduate Student Award Every year, the graduate faculty recommends two outstanding graduate students to the Dean for Graduate Studies to be considered for the Helen Hanson Outstanding Graduate Student Award. These students compete with other graduate students across campus for the award. Nominations are solicited from faculty, students, and administrators and are based on students who are outstanding in their academic performance and professional roles.

Amount of the Award

$500.00

Eligibility

To qualify for this award, a MALT graduate student must

• Be nominated by the MALT Graduate Program Committee, • Have completed 18 graduate credits within a UNO graduate program, • Have 3.75 or higher graduate GPA, • Have no outstanding incomplete grades, • Submit a vita and a writing sample to the MALT GPC to be included in the submission

packet, • Have not graduated prior to the Spring semester in which the nomination is made.

Presidential Graduate Fel lowship: Master’s Students The University of Nebraska at Omaha typically grants one fellowship for Masters-level graduate students with funds available through the University of Nebraska Foundation.

Amount of the Award

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The fellowship stipend is $12,000.00 plus tuition remission.

Guidelines

Students selected for this prestigious fellowship are expected to devote all their time to their graduate studies during the tenure of the award and will not be allowed to have other employment, including assistantships. Students who accept these fellowships should be aware they may not be eligible for federal loan monies.

Eligibility

• Must have completed 12 graduate hours within a graduate degree program, • Nomination by department/school (one person), • A graduate GPA of 3.75 within the student’s present program, • Unofficial up-to-date transcript, • 3–5 letters of recommendation.

Procedure

Each graduate department/school may submit the name of no more than one nominee for the award. With the name of the nominee, the department/school should submit a resume and at least three, but no more than five, letters of recommendation that address the selection criteria; at least one letter should be from a member of the graduate faculty of the nominee’s own department/school. The nominated student must submit an unofficial transcript. Other documentation that conforms to the criteria for selection also may be submitted at the discretion of the department/school.

Typically all nominations and accompanying documentation must be in the Office of Graduate Studies by February 28. The final selection of the fellowship is usually announced by the Dean for Graduate Studies before July.

Phi Delta Gamma Scholarship

Amount of the Award

$500.00

Guidelines

Master’s degree students who have outstanding academic performance, leadership potential, and strong character are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility

• Must have completed 9 graduate hours within a graduate program, • Enrolled in 6 or more graduate hours (for the summer semester), • Two letters of recommendation from UNO graduate faculty members and one letter from

an outside recommender addressing the applicant’s character, leadership ability, and promise of success.

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Selection Criteria

The Dean for Graduate Studies will award the scholarship on the basis of ability and the promise of success. Ability shall be evaluated in terms of excellence in academic scholarship, character, leadership, and personality.

It is not expected that every applicant will satisfy all the above criteria. Applicants will be judged on the quality of their performance in those areas appropriate to their discipline or profession.

Summer Graduate Scholarship

Amount of the Award

$1,000.00

Guidelines

Students who have an outstanding academic record and potential are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility

• Must have completed 12 graduate hours within a graduate program, • Currently enrolled in at least 3 graduate hours (at the time of application) or a candidate for

a doctoral degree at the time of application, • A graduate GPA of 3.75 or higher, • Two to four letters of recommendation.

Selection Criteria

The following will be considered in evaluating the applicants for the scholarships:

• Outstanding academic performance and potential, • Published papers/studies (basic or applied research) and presentations to disciplinary or

professional organizations, • Outstanding professional work in practicum or agency settings, if applicable, • Community and professional service as a graduate student or volunteer.

It is not expected that every applicant will satisfy all the above criteria. Applicants will be judged on the quality of their performance in those areas appropriate to their discipline or profession.

Regents Tuition Waivers Each year the Regents of the University of Nebraska make available funds, in the form of the Regents Tuition Waiver (RTW). Funds are limited and will be used to recruit highly qualified students. Students applying for admission to a graduate certificate or degree program at UNO are eligible for an RTW for one academic year with an additional year available to students who maintain a 3.0 GPA. The final decision regarding whom to recommend shall be made by the MALT GPC.

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Nominations should include the following: a letter of support from the GPC that addresses the strengths of the candidate, what the candidate will bring to the program and a copy of the candidate’s resume or vitae. If nominating more than one candidate, the GPC should list student names in rank order. Evaluations will be conducted by the Dean for Graduate Studies. Awards will be based, in part, on the likelihood that students will contribute more than other highly qualified students choosing UNO for graduate study. The value of a diverse student body will also be taken into consideration in these evaluations. Thus, with an applicant’s permission, programs may indicate gender and/or ethnicity of applicants. Awards will be made to students applying for part-time as well as full-time status. Tuition waivers under this program may be used only for graduate courses in the student’s program of study.

Further restrictions on the use of these waivers include:

• RTWs cover the cost of resident tuition. Students subject to nonresident rates must pay the difference between resident and nonresident tuition rates.

• The maximum waiver available in the fall and spring semesters is equivalent to the resident tuition cost for nine graduate credit hours. For the summer semester, the maximum waiver available is equivalent to the resident tuition cost for six graduate credit hours. If you withdraw from a course, you will be charged for the course.

• Tuition waivers cannot be applied toward the cost of undergraduate courses, non-credit courses or audited courses.

• Tuition waivers can be used for courses on other campuses of the University of Nebraska as long as the student is simultaneously registered for at least three graduate credits at UNO. A student wishing to take graduate courses on another campus should complete an intercampus form available at https://intercampus.nebraska.edu/pre_inter_campus.aspx and obtain a voucher from the Office of Graduate Studies giving approval for the courses to be taken and stating the exact number of graduate hours involved.

Funding for Graduate Student Research & Travel Support An essential part of every graduate program is learning to use the tools of research, both scholarly and applied. Graduate students seeking funding for a research project should first inquire whether their department or college has funds available for that purpose.

The University Committee on Research & Creative Activity (UCRCA) provides funding opportunities on an annual basis for graduate students conducting original research. For more information on UCRCA grants see http://www.unomaha.edu/spr/ucr.php. UNO’s Office of Sponsored Programs and Research, 203 Eppley Administration Building, can help you identify possible funding agencies outside UNO. The Office of Graduate Studies offers travel grants for graduate students presenting at academic conferences. For more information on travel support, contact Nicole Kersten via email at nkersten@unomaha.edu.

M A LT P R OGR A M CO NT ACT S

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Graduate Program Chair Dr. Claudia Garcia ASH 301R 402.554.4837 csgarcia@unomaha.edu

Department of Foreign Languages & Literature Chair Dr. Melanie Bloom ASH 301A 402.554.4989 melaniebloom@unomaha.edu

Department Staff Assistant Marie Lee ASH 301 402.554.4841 mglee@unomaha.edu

R E S O URC E S

Writing Center The Writing Center invites UNO students, faculty, and staff in all university divisions to work with a writing consultant on any university-related writing project. You may use this free service to work on your writing assignments (such as annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, research papers, etc.), application essays, business letters, or other projects. The Writing Center can also help you with proper use of APA and MLA styles. Because the Writing Center’s goal is to help you become an effective, independent writer, they will not edit papers for you; instead, they will help you develop the ability to edit your own work. Schedule an appointment at http://www.unomaha.edu/writingcenter/.

Speech Center The UNO Speech center assists graduate students in preparing oral presentations for coursework, delivering instruction, and giving presentations at professional conferences. The speech consultants offer a variety of services from putting together a professional PowerPoint presentation to coaching on effective instructional communication strategies. For more information visit http://www.unomaha.edu/speechcenter/ or to schedule an appointment call 402.554.3201.

Criss Library The Criss Library is UNO’s main library used to access various research documents in print and online. It houses books, databases, journals, and microfiche as well as computer labs, conference rooms and tables, study carrels and a café. In addition, the library offers several events catered specifically to graduate students and their library needs. Subject-specific reference librarians are

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also available to assist you in navigating the various resources available. For more information see http://library.unomaha.edu/.

Office of Graduate Studies The Office of Graduate Studies is located in the Eppley Administration Building, Room 203. You can reach them by phone at 402.554.2341.

Counseling Center The UNO Counseling Center provides short-term personal counseling for all students, faculty, and staff of the university. Difficult life circumstances, personal relationship concerns, balancing day-to-day responsibilities or similar issues may be addressed in counseling. The Counseling Center offers a safe atmosphere where personal concerns can be openly explored and discussed with a professionally trained counselor.

Services provided by the UNO Counseling Center include academic counseling, career counseling, and personal counseling. The Center is staffed by Licensed Mental Health Practitioners and Graduate Assistants. Each is dedicated and trained to provide support and encourage personal success in identifying and reaching individual goals.

Career Coach Career Coach is a searchable database tool that provides information about potential careers and jobs. This tool is designed by Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. (EMSI) to help jobseekers understand local jobs and training. This database is designed to encourage early career planning with information about pay levels, education and training programs, job growth categories, and job openings in the Omaha area, covering a 50-mile radius that includes the Dodge–Fremont area. This database shows students an array of educational opportunities, listing academic programs available for particular careers.

The Career Coach tool draws content from O*NET, the federal occupational database of occupations (http://www.onetonline.org), but what makes Career Coach an especially inviting tool for students is its focus on careers and jobs in the Omaha metropolitan area. The search results provide a definition of the occupation as well as its expected educational level. This tool might be especially helpful for students who have not yet identified a career, but have many interests.

Career Coach also offers a resume building tool to aid students in the development of their resumes. Based on user input, the tool prompts for information about their work experience, education, skills, and references. Unlike resume templates found in software programs such as Microsoft Word, this tool is useful for its vast content about the tasks and skills typical of a particular occupation, which can help users shape the resume’s content and language. Users can then preview the data in resume format and export it to their desktop or email in Microsoft Word format.

Career Coach is available at http://www.unomaha.edu/careercoach.

Career Center

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The Career Center team continuously establishes and develops partnerships with employers, the community, and alumni to assist students in gaining the knowledge and skills that are necessary components of professional development.

The Career Center strives to provide students and faculty with the opportunity to engage in specialized career development and educational experiences that will increase knowledge and awareness of employment options and facilitate lifelong career management. For more information see http://unoceo.unomaha.edu/.

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A P PEN DI X A : GRA D UA T E P R OGR A M F OR MS

Master of Arts in Language Teaching Comprehensive Exam Committee Form

Name: _______________________________ NU ID#: _______________________________

Concentration/s: ______________________ Graduate minor: ________________________ (If applicable) Committee Members: A minimum of three members is required — at least two must be members of the MALT Graduate Program Committee and one may be from another department or program. All Comprehensive Exam Committee members, except for ex-officios, must be members of the Graduate Faculty of the University of Nebraska. This form must be approved at least one semester prior to graduation. Professor’s Name Campus Address/Zip

Chair: ________________________________ ______________________________________

Member: ____________________________ ______________________________________

Member: ____________________________ ______________________________________

Optional: Ex-Officio

Member: _____________________________ ______________________________________

Signatures: I agree to serve on the Comprehensive Exam Committee for this student who is working on his/her Master’s Degree.

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Signature, MALT Graduate Program Committee Chair

____________________________________ Date: _____________________

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REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO ENROLL IN AN INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSE University of Nebraska at Omaha Department of Foreign Languages

This request, in triplicate, must be approved prior to enrollment in the course. (Copies to the student, student’s folder and faculty member.)

Student’s Name ________________________ NUID Number ___________________________

Course and Number ____________________ Credit Hours ____________________________

Term and Year _________________________

Nature and Justification of Request: Describe in detail the specific nature and extent of the work to be covered. Include titles of works to be read; method of testing; number and length of reports; papers; exams; and other pertinent information. Independent study courses should not be taken as substitutes for scheduled classroom courses of the same nature. Independent study courses are intended to enrich the regular academic program. If the graduate student is in another academic program, the student’s academic advisor should verify that these conditions have been met and that the course meets with the advisor’s approval.

Student’s Signature: ___________________________ Date: ___________________________

Approved:

_______________________ ________________________ _________________________

Instructor Graduate Advisor Chairperson

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A P PEN DI X B : FA CU LT Y R E S EA RC H AND T EAC HI NG AR EA S

Note that faculty names followed by an asterisk indicate faculty membership in the MALT Graduate Program Committee.

Department of Foreign Languages: French

Carolyn Gascoigne* Teaching interests include topics and courses such as French grammar and composition, composition and stylistics, structure of French, and second language acquisition research. Recent research interests include various aspects of second language acquisition such as studies of focus on form techniques, hybrid instruction, and the role of classroom climate in the language learning process.

Juliette Parnell* Teaching interests include business French, contemporary France (politics and culture), French cinema, French theater (17th-19th

centuries) and stylistics. Dr. Parnell also serves as the French Study Abroad Director. Research interests include 19th century French feminist authors, 19th century French culture and fine arts, and pedagogy and technology (teaching online and hybrid French classes).

Patrice Proulx* Research and teaching interests include 20th and 21st century French and francophone literature, cultural studies, and francophone film. Dr. Proulx is especially interested in exploring literary themes related to history, memory, and the transmission of stories. She teaches such seminars as "Exiles, Madwomen, and Witches in Contemporary French Literature" and "Francophone Film and Literature: Africa, the Caribbean, and Quebec." Dr. Proulx also serves as the Quebec Summer Study Abroad Director.

Department of Foreign Languages: German

Gwyneth Cliver* Research interests include the integration of mathematics and mathematical philosophy in the writings of Robert Musil and Hermann Broch and the modernist interest in infinity. Currently, Dr. Cliver is exploring the changing urban landscapes of intentionally planned cities of the former GDR. Dr. Cliver enjoys teaching basic language structures as well as German history, culture, literature, and art.

Department of Foreign Languages: Spanish

Melanie Bloom* Teaching interests include Spanish conversation and pronunciation and advanced composition as well as courses in the basic language sequence. Dr. Bloom also enjoys teaching the core classes in the MALT program. Recent research interests include study abroad and intercultural sensitivity and language proficiency and innovations in second language instruction.

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Ana Carballal* Research and teaching interests include Spanish Literature, Galician Studies, Spanish Regional and Ethnic Studies, Immigration and Exile, Afro-Hispanic Literature, Post-Colonial Studies, Service Learning, Teaching and Learning in Foreign Languages, Women and Religious Studies.

Eugenio Di Stefano Research is concerned with literary and visual cultures and their intersection with politics. More specifically, his work examines representations of torture, violence and pain in contemporary literature and film in countries such as Chile, Mexico and Uruguay. He has also worked extensively on representations of disability in fiction as well as the emergence of human rights as a political discourse in Latin America.

Claudia García Teaching interests include Latin American literature, with emphasis in Central American, Guatemalan, and indigenous literatures; Latin American cultures; critical thinking; reading comprehension; creative and academic writing; children and youth literature in Spanish; service and community engagement learning projects. Dr. García’s research areas comprise contemporary Central American and Guatemalan literatures; Latin American Indigenous literatures; and Guatemalan women novelists (1940-1970).

Cecilia Tocaimaza-Hatch Teaching interests include translation, Spanish for the professions, and second language acquisition research. Research interests include language learning in interaction, L2 vocabulary, and language learning through service learning.

Steven Torres* Teaching interests include Spanish literature, film, history, contemporary society and conversation. His research interests include modern Spanish and Latin American literature, cultural studies, film, metacultural discourse, sociology of literature and the Spanish Civil War in literature and film.

Laura Walls Teaches courses in Spanish language, composition, bilingualism, and sociolinguistics. Her scholarship bridges the fields of sociolinguistics, second language acquisition, and heritage language pedagogy. She also conducts research into the benefits of service learning with regard to language learning.

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Department of English: Language Studies

Frank Bramlett* Teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in linguistics, the Structure of English, and graduate seminars in discourse studies and the teaching of writing for nonnative speakers. His research interests largely revolve around questions of language and identity, and he is also currently engaged in L2 composition research at the National University of Nicaragua in León.

Owen Mordaunt* Research and teaching interests include applied linguistics, TESOL, sociolinguistics, the history of English, linguistics, intercultural communication, creative writing, and short fiction (particularly short stories and other texts by black writers).

Department of Teacher Education

Sandra Rodríguez-Arroyo Teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in areas related to ESL, bilingual, world languages, and literacy teacher education. She researches educational opportunities for English Language Learners (ELLs) in the state of Nebraska and recruitment and retention activities for diverse teachers among other topics.

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A P PEN DI X C : PR O F E SS I ON AL OR GANI ZA T I O N S & C ON F ER ENC E S

Local (State of Nebraska) • Nebraska International Languages Association (NILA) and annual conference:

http://www.education.ne.gov/forlg/NILA/NILA_Main.htm • Nebraska Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French (NAATF):

http://www.education.ne.gov/forlg/NATF/NATF.html • Nebraska Association of Teachers of German (NATG):

https://sites.google.com/site/aatgnebraska/ • Nebraska Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (NATSP):

http://www.education.ne.gov/forlg/NATSP/NATSP.html

Area (Midwest) • Central States Conference (CSC) on the Teaching of Foreign Languages:

http://www.csctfl.org/ • MidAmerica TESOL (MidTESOL) and annual conference: http://www.midtesol.org/

National • American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) and annual conference:

http://www.aaal.org/ • American Association of International English Programs (AAIEP) • http://www.aaiep.org/ • American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) and annual convention:

http://www.frenchteachers.org/ • American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) and annual meeting:

http://www.aatg.org/ • German Studies Association (GSA) and annual conference:

https://www.thegsa.org/index.html • American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) and annual

conference: http://www.aatsp.org/scriptcontent/index.cfm • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and annual convention:

http://www.acftl.org • Modern Language Association (MLA) and annual convention: http://www.mla.org/ • Kentucky Foreign Language Conference: http://web.as.uky.edu/kflc/ • National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE) and annual conference:

http://www.nabe.org/ • National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL): http://nnell.org/ • Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) annual Summit: http://www.oelasummit.org/ • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and annual convention:

http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/index.asp

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International • International Association for Language Learning and Technology (IALLT) and annual

conference: http://iallt.org/ • International Association of Applied Linguists/Association Internacionale de Linguistique

Appliquée (AILA) and world congress: http://www.aila.info/index.htm • International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) and annual

conference: http://www.iatefl.org/ • International Society for Language Studies (ISLS) and annual conference: http://www.isls-

inc.org/index.htm • Fédération Internationale des Professeurs de Français (FIPF): http://fipf.org/ • Der Internationale Deutschlehrerverband (IDV): http://www.idvnetz.org/

Professional Resources Here is a list of useful links on both teaching and research in language education.

• Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL): http://www.cal.org/ • Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA): http://carla.acad.umn.edu/ • Center for Language Education and Research (CLEAR): http://clear.msu.edu/clear/ • Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC): http://larcnet.sdsu.edu/ • National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC): http://www.nflrc.hawaii.edu/ • National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center (NK-12FLRC): http://nflrc.iastate.edu/ • Center for Advanced Language Proficiency Education and Research (CALPER):

http://calper.la.psu.edu • Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language & Literacy (CERCLL):

http://cercll.arizona.edu • Center for Languages of the Central Asian Region (CeLCAR): http://www.indiana.edu/~celcar • National African Language Resource Center (NALRC): http://lang.nalrc.wisc.edu/nalrc • National East Asian Languages Resource Center (NEALRC): http://nealrc.osu.edu • National Heritage Language Resource Center (NHLRC): http://www.nhlrc.ucla.edu • National Middle East Language Resource Center (NMELRC): http://nmelrc.org • South Asia Language Resource Center (SALRC): http://salrc.uchicago.edu • Nebraska Department of Education: World Language Education:

http://www.nde.state.ne.us/forlg/ • Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA):

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html • Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw.de/ • Goethe-Instituit: http://www.goethe.de/enindex.htm